Mental Health is very important and in all of the posts and blogs I’ve written I’ve put a spin on things to connect it back to mental health. This blog will focus on Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAH) celebrated in May since 1949 in America to combat stigma surrounding mental health illnesses and treatment. MHAM was created in response to increased understanding of the need to address, advocate, and openly celebrate recovery journeys of people persevering with mental health illnesses. So, what is mental health awareness and why is it important?
Mental health awareness is understanding that your mind is a complex thing with many emotions and intricate parts that work together to make you who you are. However, sometimes it can bring hardships and when things get bad it’s ok to be not okay. Mental health awareness is simply accepting those emotions and recognizing them as well as disorders that some people have that effect the way they think and perceive the world. Mental health impacts people all over the world no matter social economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, country, or other identities.
It’s so important that we understand what mental health is and we take care of ourselves and others. Mental health runs a vast spectrum from daily struggles, woes, sleep disturbance, and irritability to substance use and more serious mental health illness’s such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, and Personality Disorders. Mental health maintenance can simply be acknowledging your feelings and taking the negative ones and knowing that things will be ok and its ok to be not ok. Feelings are signals from our body that we are out of alignment. Go within and listen. You are the expert on how you feel and what to feel.
Mental Health tips:
-get regular exercise, run, play or do some yoga
-make sleep a priority and set up a routine
-relaxation activities such as mindfulness, meditation or taking it easy in a bath
-advocate and get involved locally by joining a non-profit organization as a volunteer or voting for bills that support mental health advocacy such as the Counseling Compact.
Remember if you’re questioning if you need to talk to a professional, find someone! Don’t delay. YOU MATTER AND HAVE VALUE! It is not easy to find a match for a mental health professional. You may not be mentally up for researching, contacting your insurance company for referrals, or having the time/money to address your mental health concerns. Many clinicians offer Free consultations like we at Allow Health to ensure the client and clinician are a good match. Keep in mind finding a mental health provider can be like trying on shoes it takes a few tests runs and changes in preferences before you find the perfect fit.
Resources:
“Mental Health Awareness Month.” NAMI, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/mental-health-awareness-month/.
“Caring for Your Mental Health.” National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health. Accessed 8 May 2024.
“Mental Health Awareness Month.”SAMHSA, May 8, 2024.https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health-awareness-month#:~:text=Mental%20Health%20Awareness%20Month%20was,may%20need%20mental%20health%20support.&text=If%20playback%20doesn't%20begin%20shortly%2C%20try%20restarting%20your%20device.
Mental Health Awareness Month
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